I am an educator who currently teaches online at a DL school in Terrace, BC. Having taught many different subjects and grade levels over the years, I can honestly say the last few years have been the most exciting due to emerging technologies. I have been fortunate to be involved in the transition of paper-based courses to online courses and, when time has allowed, my work has also included online course development.The new online teaching environment has required a whole new skill set, including the ability to problem solve and adapt at a moment’s notice. Working collaboratively with colleagues to implement programs and directions envisioned only a short while ago has required a flexible approach and an eagerness to learn. Much of this learning has revolved around the Moodle Learning Management System and the various tools and skills that contribute to supporting courses in Moodle and learning online.

During the last few years, I have not only experienced huge personal growth, but I have also become re-inspired about the possibilities for education. It is this enthusiasm and desire to learn that has brought me to the OLTD program. Indeed, it is tremendously exciting to realize the Web now offers a wide variety of affordances that previously didn’t exist. As cultural anthropologist Michael Wesch states, we need to teach 21st Century learners the skills they will need to become knowledge-able versus knowledgable. We are preparing students for a workplace that may not exist yet, so it is crucial to help students develop a toolkit of skills. Skills such as problem-solving, digital literacy, critical and creative thinking, collaboration and curation, etc., will help 21st Century learners, and indeed all of us, navigate these uncharted waters. “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~